Judge Considers Contempt Citation

July 13, 1991

CHICAGO — A federal judge sternly lectured an executive of Encyclopaedia Britannica Inc. Friday for causing a company employee to be removed from a jury about to begin a long trial. But U.S. District Judge Charles Norgle Sr. held off until after the trial on deciding whether Karl Steinberg, a Britannica vice president, should be held in contempt of court.

Steinberg drew Norgle`s ire by writing to the court to have a Britannica employee removed from jury duty for business reasons. The employee had been picked for a jury in a drug trial expected to last four to six weeks. Norgle said he was forced to dismiss the employee out of concern he could no longer be fair and impartial as a result of Steinberg`s intervention.

At the Friday hearing, Steinberg apologized, saying he was merely inquiring to see if the employee could be shifted to a shorter trial.